


Glimpses

by sarcasticnotsardonic



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-29 22:40:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11450547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasticnotsardonic/pseuds/sarcasticnotsardonic
Summary: Simply that - glimpses into Luke and Lorelai's relationship pre, during, and post-series (including AYITL).





	1. Dance for me Later, Coffee Man

**Author's Note:**

> I'm no stranger to fanfic, but this is my first time delving into Gilmore Girls/Luke and Lorelai. I hope you enjoy it!

_Circa 1996_

The second time Lorelai finds herself in Luke’s Diner is on a Wednesday afternoon. She still has a half hour or so before Rory is done for the day. Even though Rory is twelve and her school is within walking distance to their house, Lorelai still likes to find time during the week to pick her up. Perhaps it’s because she knows all too well how fast kids grow up and she wants to savor the time she has with Rory.

Although there are plenty of tables available, Lorelai settles herself into a seat at the counter. Luke’s is much less busy than the last time she was here. Without the hustle and bustle, she’s able to take the place in for the first time. There’s nothing particularly special about it, and yet, she feels an immediate sense of comfort. Almost like being home. And for a caffeine addict such as herself, she had to admit, Luke brewed some damn good coffee.

She’s still lost in thought when a sharp voice brings her back to reality.

“You’re back.”

She turns to the voice. It’s Luke.

“It would appear that way.”

“So much for astrology.”

“Well, to be fair to the astrologer, your horoscope said the woman would go away once you gave her coffee. It never mentioned the word ‘forever’.”

Luke snorts.

“Go figure. Even divination has a loophole.”

“Gee, sailor, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you weren’t exactly thrilled to see me again,” Lorelai says fluttering her eyelids at him in that way she does with men.

But Luke doesn’t respond to her. Instead, he simply goes about his business, asking the man a few seats down from her for his order.

Maybe it’s the fact that Luke seems immune to her charms that piques her interest.

“You don’t like me, do you?”

“I don’t know you.”

“But from what you do know, you don’t like me.”

Luke huffs in annoyance.

“No offense, lady, but you seem like a pain in the ass. A huge one.”

Perhaps that should offend her, but it doesn’t. If anything, it just makes her want to continue this….whatever it is. Dare she say fun?

“You treat all of your customers this way? No wonder they’re lining up outside the door.”

“Jeez. You know, I think Copernicus called earlier. Told me to give you a message.”

“Oh, which was?”

This time Luke looks her straight in the eye.

“That the world doesn’t revolve around you.”

“Touche.” Lorelai laughs. And then laughs harder. Once she regains herself, she extends her hand out. “I think it’s time we formally introduce ourselves. I’m Lorelai.”

Luke shakes her hand, albeit reluctantly. “Luke.”

“So, Duke, can I get a cup of coffee?”

Luke shakes his head as he pours her a cup, but Lorelai can see the smirk he’s trying desperately to hide. He likes her. In spite of himself, he does find her charming.

“You’re new around here.”

It’s somewhere in between a question and a statement.

“Mmm. We’ve only been here a few weeks.”

“We?”

“Me and Rory.”

“Your cat?”

“My kid. She’s twelve.”

“Twelve? Wow, that’s….twelve.” Lorelai notes Luke subtlely search for a wedding band on her finger. “And your husband doesn’t live here with you?”

“I’m not married.”

He gives her this look that she can’t quite put her finger on, but simply responds with an “oh.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Nope. Not one of those either I’m afraid.”

For a split second, their eyes lock, and Lorelai feels herself blush. She’s no stranger to the opposite sex. After all, guys are great. You don’t get knocked up at sixteen being indifferent to guys. But there’s something about Luke that draws her in. It’s silly. She barely knows the guy, and yet, the possibility looms in her mind.

There’s just something about him. The way he wears his baseball cap backwards. The small stubble of beard. His demeanor. She may have only just met him, but Lorelai can tell that deep down, Luke Danes is a softie. He merely hides it behind his gruffness, which she also had to admit, was damn sexy.

“So, just for the record, no husband, no boyfriend?”

“Alas, no man to call her own.”

“Me either. I mean, I don’t mean that. I meant I don’t have a wife. Or a girlfriend. In case you were wondering. Not that you were wondering, but you know, in case you were....”

Lorelai couldn’t help but be amused by Luke stuttering over himself.

“Wondering?”

“Yeah.”

“Duly noted.”

Luke starts. “So, if you ever want to -

Suddenly, the school bell rings.

“I’m sorry. I gotta go. Rory’s getting out.”

Luke nods.

“Right. You should go.”

“This was nice though.” She puts money down on the counter and then rises from her seat. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

“It’s nothing. Just part of the job,” Luke says, shrugging her off.

“Well, I’ll definitely be back.”

Luke gives her that look again.

“For the coffee of course."

“Too much caffeine can kill you, you know.”

“Aw, don’t be jealous,” Lorelai says walking towards the exit. “You can dance for me later, coffee man.”


	2. Drowning on Dry Land

_I slept with Christopher._

Those were the last words she said to him before he got into his truck, right after he had shown up in a blaze of glory, ready to fight for her. For them.

_I slept with Christopher._

Of all the people in the world she could have slept with, why did it have to be _him?_

How could she do this to him?

Even if she believed it was over - though she had not returned the ring - how could she go to Christopher, of all people?

He wanted to believe that she had lied about it, just as a way to get him to leave her alone. But that in and of itself would have been cruel.

The only thing crueler was if it had been the truth.

And there was something in the way she looked down after she said it that made him lean towards it being the truth. She didn't seem happy about it. There was shame. There was sadness.

Maybe that's what hurts even more. It wasn't some vindictive plan of hers to get back at Luke. It was just...Christopher was her solace.

And that made it even harder to swallow.

Even if Luke could forgive Lorelai for this transgression, he knew that Lorelai would never really be able to shake Christopher from her system.

It was simply a given.

Even if she really loved Luke, Christopher would always be there. Like a goddamn shadow. The ghost from Lorelai's past constantly reminding him that no matter how good he had been to Lorelai and Rory, he wasn't _good enough_ for them. For either of them.

_I slept with Christopher._

Shit.

It keeps coming back to him, all the memories and feelings that he had tried so hard to shove down because the want - no, not want, need - to be with Lorelai overpowered his deep-rooted insecurities and inferiority.

 

> _“Well, I’m with Lorelai.”_
> 
> _“For now.”_
> 
> _“What does that mean, ‘for now’? What is that a threat?”_
> 
> _“Lorelai and I belong together. Everyone knows it. I know it. Emily knows it.”_

And, apparently, Chris had been right all along.

He remembers the way Chris spat out the words ‘for now’ and how much it pissed him off. Christopher staking claim on Lorelai like that, as if she were some prize. An object, another trophy for his case.

While Luke, on the other hand, had never ever viewed Lorelai that way. To him, she was simply this person, this amazingly adorable, sweet, loving woman. Sure, she was stubborn and frustrating, even selfish and rude. But underneath that fast-talking caffeine-addicted veneer was this beautiful, selfless being.

Part of what had attracted him to her in the beginning was the fact that she never took the easy way out, like him. She had a baby at sixteen and made it her mission to give Rory a good life. She wasn’t one to ask for help or handouts, unless she really needed to. And the few notable times she did, it was all for Rory.

 

> _“You did good by her, you know,” he once told her as they lay on his bed not too long after they had begun dating._
> 
> _“I’d like to think that, but sometimes I think I could have done better.”_
> 
> _Not being much for words, he had responded with “I think, given the circumstances, you did the best you could. There are two types of people in the world, Lorelai. Those who wait for mountains to move and those who move them. You’re the latter.”_
> 
> _“I’m a mountain mover, am I? Do I get a special mountain hat? Is it the same as being a mountie?”_
> 
> _“Oh, boy. I think I made a big mistake telling you that.”_
> 
> _“I’m just kidding,” she said, giving him that million dollar smile, “you’re a much better mountie than I.”_

They’d never have moments like those again, would they?

It was all in the past.

I was wrong, he thinks. Lorelai wasn’t a mountain mover after all. Instead, she was a person who destroyed them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! Don't hate me! Believe you me, this was not a fun chapter to write, but my mind kept circling back to this moment in their relationship, which was right after Luke proposed, and I felt I had to do something with it, you know?
> 
> Again, I apologize! I promise there will be less painful chapters to come!


End file.
